Michael Curry and Lindsey Hunter have been friends since the Pistons signed Curry to a 10-day contract on Jan. 31, 1996. Hunter soon should return to the Pistons, but at his friend's expense.

The Pistons and Toronto Raptors, the Free Press has learned, are expected to announce a deal that would send Curry -- Detroit's captain and starting small forward -- to Toronto for Hunter -- a versatile guard who spent an injury-plagued year across the border after being dealt by the Lakers.

Acquiring Hunter could signal the end of Chucky Atkins' tenure in Detroit. Atkins, a 5-foot-10 point guard who started until last season, is on the trading block for salary cap reasons. He is halfway through a six-year, $22.5-million contract.

The Pistons need cap room for next summer because of Mehmet Okur, who becomes a restricted free agent and could command a handsome salary if he has a big season. Teams could offer Okur a fat contract and the Pistons would have to match it or risk losing the 24-year-old Turk, who will compete to be the starting center after finishing his rookie season with a stellar playoff run.

Returning to Detroit won't require much of a living adjustment for Hunter, who kept his suburban home after he was traded to Milwaukee for Billy Owens on Aug. 22, 2000. The Pistons would use Hunter as their fourth guard and, at 6-feet-2, 195 pounds, to defend small point guards. (The other guards, besides Atkins, are Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Bob Sura.)